Speaking at a recent session at the 77th United Nations General Assembly, Ambassador Anouparb Vongnorkeo, Permanent Representative of Laos to the United Nations urged the United States to reconsider its commercial and financial embargo on Cuba which has been imposed for the last six decades.
Aligning itself with the statements delivered by representatives from Azerbaijan, Pakistan, and Singapore, on behalf of NAM, G77, China, and ASEAN, Laos called for putting an end to the embargo posed on the Republic of Cuba and reaffirmed its constant support and solidarity with the Cuban people.
Ambassador Anouparb says, “Throughout the past 6 decades, the embargo imposed on the Republic of Cuba, a sovereign member state of the United Nations, has severely impeded social and economic development of the country and brought about severe consequences and hardship to the innocent people.”
In the Cuban Democracy Act of 1992 the US govt had made a decision to maintain sanctions on Cuba as long as the Cuban government refused to move toward “democratization and greater respect for human rights.”
Laos has maintained the view that the embargo infringes on the spirit and key principles of the United Nations Charter and international law. It also highlighted that with the numerous challenges the international community is facing currently, including the lingering impacts of COVID-19 pandemic, natural calamities, economic and financial difficulties, food and energy crises, among others, Laos joins the overwhelming majority of UN member states in “our call for the immediate lifting of the embargo as stipulated in the various UN Resolutions”.
“It is more crucial than ever for the international community to provide all necessary support and conducive conditions for Cuba, a sovereign and independent member state of the United Nations and its people, to fully determine their own development path and put an end to needless deprivation caused to the Cuban people,” added Mr. Anouparb while expressing his support and vote in favor of a draft resolution that looks at ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba.
Cuban PM Manuel Marrero Cruz, Prime Minister of the Republic of Cuba, visited Laos in October as part of a tour of Southeast Asia.
